Friday, October 20, 2006

Love.Angel.Music.for.my.Baby.

Friday, Oct. 20:

JP and I have already told Flybaby (now 6 weeks old!) we expect him to learn how to play an instrument. We have friends -- several of them, now that I think of it -- who are music educators, and we hope at least one of them will teach Fly when the time comes.

However, I'm meagerly (is that a word?) starting his music education by singing to him and playing him songs from his iPod playlist.

Yes. Silly me. I created a playlist for Flybaby.

My friend Missy started it. A week after Fly was born, she sent me an MP3 of a song, saying, "From one mother of a son to another," that stirred my postpartum hormones and made me cry:

iCrib, I thought you were joking. That thing looks awesome. E is a little old for that now though...so for now we just play CDs on her CD player (previously mommy and daddy's CD player/alarm clock).

I recommend a CD called "Mary Had a Little Amp." Kid-friendly songs sung by today's artists. There are a few rock/folk songs (and even one by Jack Johnson), and a couple noteworthy sleepy songs such as Maroon 5's rendition of "Pure Imaination" (from Charlie and the Choc. Factory) and my all-time favorite "The Rainbow Connection" sang by the Dixie Chicks. Brings me to tears.

Also, E loves the upbeat songs on the CD "The Best of Pooh and Heffalumps, Too". It has a lot of the old school pooh songs ("Little Black Raincloud" and the Tigger Song), and a couple lullabyes.

And a wonderful Mother/Son book to read is (though I'm sure you're heard of it) "Love You Forever." My husband's mother got that for him when he was young, and now it's in E's room.

I am a firm believer that it is never too early to start musical education. Eleana started playing maracas at 6 months, and still enjoys them. Whistles are fun for older babies because it only requires a little air to produce sound. Also, baby xylophones are great and E loves her Little Tykes tap-a-tune piano.